Reuters: Health:- NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thousands of workers who suffered health problems after the September 11 attacks in 2001 have reached a settlement worth up to $657.5 million with an insurer representing the city of New York, city officials and lawyers said on Thursday.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama plans to nominate San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen, a respected policy dove, to be vice chairman of the central bank, a source familiar with the process said on Thursday.

Reuters: Health:- BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States should not make a political issue out of the yuan, a Chinese central banker said on Friday, as the two countries lurched toward a potentially serious clash about Beijing's currency regime.

Reuters: Health:- DETROIT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Unprecedented discounts after a series of damaging recalls boosted Toyota Motor Corp's U.S. sales in early March, as U.S. regulators weighed new auto safety measures.

Health News from Medical News Today:- The Swedish biotech company Karo Bio (Reuters: KARO.ST) announced the publication of results from a clinical phase II trial evaluating the company's liver selective thyroid hormone receptor agonist eprotirome and its ability to further reduce serum LDL cholesterol levels in statin-treated patients. The results are published in the March 11, 2010 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind multi-center trial of three months duration, performed between November 2007 and June 2008...

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The wife and daughter of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid were seriously injured on Thursday when their vehicle was rear-ended by a truck on a highway, the senator's office said.

Reuters: Health:- BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki posted mixed results in initial returns on Thursday from Iraq's parliamentary election, and a rival grouping complained of serious fraud.

Health News from Medical News Today:- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today terminated its contract with Fox Insurance Company. After an onsite review of the plan and its services, CMS determined that the plan's significant deficiencies - not meeting Medicare's requirements to provide enrollees with prescription drugs according to recognized standards of care - jeopardized the health and safety of Fox enrollees. CMS found that Fox committed a series of violations, including improperly denying its enrollees coverage of critical HIV, cancer, and seizure medications...

Health News from Medical News Today:- A new firearms research database launched by the Harvard School of Public Health makes scholarly articles more accessible to reporters, law enforcement, public health officials, policymakers, and the general public. The Firearms Research Digest provides summaries of articles gathered from social science, criminology, medical and public health journals and is written in clear, accessible language for use by those outside academia. The website currently covers six years of research published between 2003 and 2008...

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Democrats drew closer on Thursday to agreement on a broad healthcare overhaul that could clear the way for a final vote in the next few weeks, but vowed not to be bound by White House deadlines.

Health News from Medical News Today:- The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is developing advice for the NHS on how to treat and look after children who wet the bed. The draft clinical guideline is available from today (11 March) for public consultation. Dr Fergus Macbeth, Director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE said: "Most children will experience some form of bedwetting as they grow up; however often only those aged seven and above are considered for treatment - before this age, it is generally perceived as a normal habit which the child will grow out of...

Health News from Medical News Today:- NICE has published a draft clinical guideline on the use of ablative therapies for the treatment of Barrett's oesophagus. Ablative therapies destroy the abnormal cells within the oesophagus caused by the condition, without removing an entire section of oesophagus. This is the first time national guidelines have considered the use of these therapies to treat Barrett's oesophagus, and NICE is now opening a consultation on the draft recommendations...

WebMD Health:- Some Whole Foods and Frontier brand spices have been recalled due to possible salmonella contamination of pepper included in the products.

WebMD Health:- Occasional high blood pressure readings are often ignored as nothing to worry about, but a new study suggests this episodic high blood pressure is a strong predictor of strokes.

Health News from Medical News Today:- Parents are naturally concerned about the health and safety of their children, and that's especially true when their children are athletes. With nearly 7 million high school students participating in sports today, there are a reported 715,000 high school sports-related injuries experienced each year, and 8,000 children are treated in emergency rooms each day for sports-related injuries.1 To reduce the risk of injury, the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) offers a number of suggestions for parents, coaches, administrators and athletes to ensure a safe and healthy environment...

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States boosted its investigation of tax and other financial crimes by about 10 percent last year, tax authorities reported on Thursday, amid an increased push to pursue wealthy tax cheats.

Health News from Medical News Today:- Enhance National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported research to improve health, spur economic growth and innovation and science. American Heart Association patient advocates and researchers today delivered that message to members of Congress during the association's Research Saves Lives Fly-In Lobby Day. Many heart disease and stroke survivors have benefited from advances as a result of NIH-supported research. However, despite progress and promising research opportunities, there is still no cure for heart disease or stroke...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SWISS: BSLN) announces that the Applicant Janssen-Cilag International NV (Janssen- Cilag), a Johnson & Johnson company, has submitted a request for re-examination of the negative opinion by the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) on the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for ceftobiprole for the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTI). On February 18, 2010, the CHMP adopted a negative opinion on the MAA for ceftobiprole for the treatment of cSSTI...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. ("SCT" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:SSS) wishes to announce the acceptance and publication of the paper entitled "The Beta-hCG + Erythropoietin in Acute Stroke ( BETAS) Study" by the journal "Stroke", on March 8, 2010. This paper was authored by Dr. Steven C. Cramer, from the University of California, Irvine, Dr. David Brown at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, New Port Beach, Dr. Michael D. Hill of Foothills Hospital at the University of Calgary, and colleagues. Dr...

Reuters: Health:- TEL AVIV (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called on Thursday for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks to start without delay despite Palestinian insistence that Israel first cancel a settlement project condemned by Washington.

Reuters: Health:- SANTIAGO (Reuters) - As the ground shook and buildings swayed, conservative billionaire Sebastian Pinera took office as Chile's president on Thursday, tasked with rebuilding after a massive earthquake killed hundreds just 12 days ago.

Reuters: Health:- BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki posted mixed results in initial returns on Thursday from Iraq's parliamentary election, and a rival grouping complained of serious fraud.

Reuters: Health:- ATHENS (Reuters) - Police clashed with stone-throwing youths in Athens on Thursday as tens of thousands of strikers protested against draconian cutbacks aimed at pulling Greece out of a debt crisis shaking the euro zone.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell only slightly last week, indicating that rapid job growth would probably continue to elude the economy for a while.

Health News from Medical News Today:- Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced the U.S. launch of the VERTEX SELECT® Reconstruction System. When a patient has a spinal condition that requires fusion or a procedure that must be performed from the back of the spine, also known as a posterior approach, the VERTEX SELECT® Reconstruction System contains implants and an instrument set for performing this surgical procedure. Conditions of the spine, such as degenerative disc disease, tumor, or trauma, can lead to instability and pain for patients...

Reuters: Health:- SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's navy lifted a tsunami warning for the country's coast after strong aftershocks shook the capital Santiago on Thursday, following the swearing in ceremony for new President Sebastian Pinera.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chances of a broad overhaul of U.S. financial regulation this year dimmed on Thursday after bipartisan Senate talks collapsed.

Health News from Medical News Today:- Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI) was honored last night by the American Psychological Association for his advocacy work and legislative accomplishments on mental health issues. The APA presented Kennedy with the 2010 Outstanding Leadership Award, given annually to a member of Congress who has prominently championed the goals of professional psychology. "Congressman Kennedy has been a tireless crusader of mental health rights," says Katherine C. Nordal, PhD, APA executive director for professional practice...

Health News from Medical News Today:- A study of over 80,000 American live kidney donors found they were likely to live just as long as people who have two healthy kidneys and that the procedure carries very little medical risk. You can read about the landmark study by lead author and transplant surgeon Dr Dorry L Segev, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues, online in the 10 March issue of JAMA, Journal of the American Medical Association...

WebMD Health:- A moisturizing cream whose active ingredient is extract of onion can help to take the redness out of new stretch marks.

Health News from Medical News Today:- Dental patient charges in Wales have been frozen for the fourth year running to help maintain wider access to NHS dentistry, Health Minister Edwina Hart announced today [Thursday, 11 March]...

Reuters: Health:- LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - BP will pay $7 billion to Devon Energy for assets that will extend its reach into Brazil and bulk up its position in the Gulf of Mexico, as the world's top oil companies look to acquisitions to refill depleting reserves.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama pressed China on Thursday to move to a "more market-oriented exchange rate" in a speech where he laid out a plan to boost U.S. exports in the coming years.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An overwhelming majority of Americans wants Wall Street subjected to tougher regulation in the aftermath of the bank bailout and the bonus scandals that have rocked the U.S. financial sector, according to a Harris poll released on Thursday.

Health News from Medical News Today:- The InterAcademy Council (IAC), a multinational organization of the world's science academies, has been requested to conduct an independent review of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) processes and procedures. The study comes at the invitation of the United Nations secretary-general and the chair of the IPCC, and will help guide the processes and procedures of the IPCC's fifth report and future assessments of climate science...

Health News from Medical News Today:- What Families living with muscle disease in the East of England are joining forces with clinicians and MPs at an inaugural conference for the region, organised by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. The conference will be an opportunity for families to learn more about fighting for better muscle disease services in their region and to find out how local campaigning can make a real difference. There will be talks from leading clinicians and local MPs about recent care developments and how best to make your voice heard on healthcare issues...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Nearly 50% Of Food Aid Sent To Somalia Never Makes It To People In Need "As much as half the food aid sent to Somalia is diverted from needy people to a web of corrupt contractors, radical Islamist militants and local United Nations staff members, according to a new Security Council report," the New York Times reports. "The report, which has not yet been made public ...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) "plans to bolster earnings by selling to more people in middle-income countries after cutting prices in the world's poorest nations," Bloomberg/BusinessWeek reports. "Our strategy is to grow our business in middle-income countries by increasing the volume of products we sell," GSK Chief Executive Andrew Witty said by e-mail, according to the news service...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Congressional Deals: Watching The Sausage Making Politico Legislators need pork to make things happen, especially in an age when chronic obstruction has so weakened the legislative process that policy breakthroughs are almost impossible. This does not excuse all kinds of deal making, nor should we ignore that deals sometimes go too far (Julian E. Zelizer, 3/10). Health Care Reform's Sickeningly Sweet Deals The Washington Post Skipping through the Candy Land of the health-care bill, one is tempted to hum a few bars of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." What a deal. For dealmakers, that is...

Health News from Medical News Today:- A study of seismic activity near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport by researchers from Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Austin reveals that the operation of a saltwater injection disposal well in the area was a "plausible cause" for the series of small earthquakes that occurred in the area between Oct. 30, 2008, and May 16, 2009. The incidents under study occurred in an area of North Texas where the vast Barnett Shale geological formation traps natural gas deposits in subsurface rock...

Health News from Medical News Today:- In one of the first such studies involving human patients with schizophrenia, researchers at UC Davis have provided evidence that deficits in a brain chemical may be responsible for some of the debilitating cognitive deficits - poor attention, memory and problem-solving abilities - that accompany the delusions and hallucinations that are the hallmarks of the disorder. The study, published online in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggests an important avenue of inquiry for improving cognitive function in the more than 2 million Americans who suffer from schizophrenia, according to Jong H...

Health News from Medical News Today:- If you can imagine identical twin sisters at rest, their breath drawing them subtly together and apart, who somehow latch onto ropes that pull them to opposite sides of the bed - you can imagine what happens to a chromosome in the dividing cell. Understanding the forces that drive chromosome segregation - a crucial aspect of human development and some diseases, including cancer - is the goal of an international group of researchers who collaborate each summer at the MBL...

Health News from Medical News Today:- During Cover the Uninsured Week, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reiterates its position that all women should be guaranteed a package of essential benefits that includes primary and preventive care, pregnancy-related and infant care, medically and surgically necessary services, prescription drugs, and catastrophic care. The essential principles for achieving universal care that meets women's lifetime health needs are defined in its Health Care for Women, Health Care for All: A Reform Agenda...

Health News from Medical News Today:- In the "three years since the Supreme Court's conservative majority abruptly departed from precedent to uphold a federal ban on a particular method of abortion, ... foes of reproductive freedom are pressing new attacks on women's rights and health," a New York Times editorial states. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) "has signed a bill (HB 462) that would criminalize certain behavior by women that results in miscarriage," the editorial notes. It adds, "The measure exempts lawful abortions, and particularly worrisome language about 'reckless' acts has been removed...

Health News from Medical News Today:- The Senate Finance Committee's chair, Max Baucus (D-Mont.), and top Republican, Charles Grassley (Iowa), are working with colleagues in the House on legislation that would lower tariffs in an effort to help Haiti's apparel industry and help the country recover from the major January earthquake, CQ Politics reports. "The bipartisan effort comes as Senate Finance leaders consider ramping up their work to broadly overhaul multiple U.S. trade preference programs, which lower or eliminate U.S. tariffs on a wide range of products from many developing countries," according to the publication (3/9)...

Health News from Medical News Today:- One year on from the NHS becoming the first national health system in the world to routinely collect patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), a new report highlights the potential for PROMs to transform the funding and management of health care. Getting the most out of PROMs, published today by The King's Fund and Office of Health Economics, is a guide for clinicians, commissioners, managers and others describing how to use data based on patient reports of their health-related quality of life and the benefits of doing so...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Recent gains in the global fight against HIV/AIDS could be reversed as the "global economic downturn pinches poor countries' budgets and donors show signs of backing away from their promise to provide universal access to AIDS treatment," the British government together with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned Tuesday, Reuters AlertNet reports...

Health News from Medical News Today:- The WHO on Tuesday released new guidelines for the treatment of malaria, which recommend "parasitological testing before treatment begins" and add "a new artemisinin based combination treatment [ACT] to the list of prescribed drugs," BMJ News reports. According to BMJ News, WHO's guidelines are "expected to enhance earlier and accurate diagnosis, halt the emergence of drug resistance, and reduce the use of unnecessary treatment" (Zarocostas, 3/9)...

Health News from Medical News Today:- National Nurses Organizing Committee-Florida and National Nurses United today announce that the Florida Hospital Patient Protection Act of 2010 has been filed in the state legislature by authors Rep. Oscar Braynon and Sen. Tony Hill and will be known as HB 1283 and S 2316. The bill will improve conditions and outcomes for patients in hospitals, while also lessening Florida's nursing shortage by drawing RNs to work in safe and therapeutic conditions. The Florida Hospital Patient Protection Act will: - Guarantee a safe ratio of RNs to patients on every unit in every hospital in Florida...

Health News from Medical News Today:- President Obama is delivering his "closing argument" for health care reform in St. Louis today as Democratic leaders strategize on moving the bill through the House and Senate.The Associated Press: "Obama is to speak Wednesday at St. Charles High School, his second health care address in three days. His speech comes as congressional Democrats stand on the brink of delivering the president a dramatic success with passage of his sweeping overhaul legislation - or a colossal failure if they can't get it done...